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Virginia’s Reese Holbrook cracked a line drive to the left-center field gap. With the ball sinking fast, Taylor Posner dashed to her left, her glove outstretched. The sophomore made a full extension and snared the liner just before it hit the ground, robbing the Cavaliers of extra bases.

Syracuse’s (23-22-1, 7-12-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) strong defense complemented its high-powered offense in its 12-6 win over Virginia (29-21, 8-16 ACC) on Saturday afternoon. Rebecca Clyde was a brick wall at third base, leading the Orange with four assists and two putouts. Tessa Galipeau caught a pop-up from Tori Gilbert for the final out, securing a series sweep of the Cavaliers and SU’s eighth straight win.

Nearly every starter contributed defensively in Saturday’s game. Seven of the nine starting fielders recorded at least a putout or assist. Combined with clutch pitching from Lindsey Hendrix and Madison Knight, the Orange defense left nine UVA runners stranded on base. While Clyde patrolled the infield, Posner and Madelyn Lopez each made three catches in the outfield.

Syracuse showcased its defensive skills from the game’s first pitch. Jade Hylton, Virginia’s leadoff batter, smashed a ball toward the left field line. Clyde dove to her right and speared the ball into her glove. The senior stood up and fired a strike to first, beating Hylton by a stride to record the first out. With a runner on first, Clyde fielded another hard-hit ball from Leah Boggs, cleanly throwing out the runner at second for a fielder’s choice. Then, Laila Alves tossed a near-perfect throw to second on Boggs’s stolen base attempt, but UVA’s catcher swam around the tag from Ryan Starr at shortstop. Galipeau fielded Kelly Ayer’s shallow ground ball and retreated to first base for the final out of the opening inning.

After the Orange took a 4-0 lead on a grand slam, the Cavaliers responded with a three-run blast. Hylton struck another hard-hit ball, a fly ball to right field, but Lopez made a running snag on the warning track. Hendrix was replaced by Knight with one out in the second, tasked to preserve a one-run lead. With two outs, Clyde made her third play at the hot corner, knocking down a liner from Abby Weaver and firing to first for the third out.

Kelly Breen’s three-run double put SU back up 7-3. In the top of the third, Posner shagged a fly ball down the left field line in foul territory for the first out. After Knight struck out a batter, Clyde converted her third ground ball assist, setting UVA down 1-2-3 in the third.

The Orange got two more insurance runs in the bottom of the third but were in some trouble the following half-inning. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Hylton, who hit a bouncing grounder that got past Starr to plate one. Clyde made the catch on a high pop-up for the second out, then the third baseman recorded her fourth assist on a routine ground ball from Boggs that she threw to first.

“It was exciting to watch them compete and get a little bit gritty. It helps us put us in a spot to control our destiny going to the ACC Tournament,” head coach Shannon Doepking told CitrusTV postgame.

Breen’s first home run put SU in front 10-4 in the fourth. In the top of the fifth, the Orange outfield combined to retire all three Cavaliers batters. Lopez caught a liner in right for the first out, then made another snag one batter later. Following a two-run blast by Gabby Baylog, Posner made a magnificent diving catch to rob Holbrook of a double.

Knight looked sharp in the circle in the sixth. The freshman hurled 10 innings yesterday, in addition to her five and two-thirds of three-run ball today. Knight struck out two batters in the frame and Clyde made another catch, this time in foul territory, keeping SU up 10-6.

Up six with three outs to go, Posner made another catch and Knight recorded her fifth strikeout. Gilbert sent a weak pop fly toward first base and Galipeau recorded her sixth putout with a catch, sealing Syracuse’s eighth straight win.

“It’s nice to figure some things out, watch some things come together and watch some players really really get after it,” Doepking said.

Published on April 29, 2023 at 8:45 pm